Stix Ride Shophttps://stixrideshop.com Skateboards, Shoes, Apparel and AccessoriesFri, 24 May 2019 19:46:25 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.10142654002How To Loosen Skateboard Trucks & Make Them Turn Correctlyhttps://stixrideshop.com/how-to-loosen-skateboard-trucks-make-them-turn-correctly/ https://stixrideshop.com/how-to-loosen-skateboard-trucks-make-them-turn-correctly/#view_commentsSat, 06 Oct 2018 22:52:37 +0000https://stixrideshop.com/?p=7763How To Loosen Skateboard Trucks & Make Them Turn Correctly Trucks On A Skateboard Skateboard trucks are the metal mechanism that allows the board turn. They are made up of the hanger and the baseplate. The hanger is the part…

Trucks On A Skateboard

Skateboard trucks are the metal mechanism that allows the board turn. They are made up of the hanger and the baseplate.

The hanger is the part that the axle goes through for the wheels to go on both sides. It’s held onto the baseplate with a big screw (kingpin) and a kingpin nut that you will be turning.

How to Loosen Skateboard Trucks

Loosen The Nut

Loosen the kingpin nut by turning it counter clockwise with a skate tool or 3/8” wrench. Don’t leave your nut hanging on by only a few threads where it can come off easily. Get new softer bushings if you need it that loose. Another thing is that if any of the nuts are loose by hand even though they are screwed all the way on, they need to be replaced. The nylon inserts in the metal nuts go bad after a while and don’t hold very well.

Flip Or Change The Washers

Changing the washers that hold the bushings can work to loosen trucks. You can remove the bottom washer on the baseplate like some transition skaters do. Or you can go full Daewon. You can also flip your washers over or switch them out with flat washers. The washers are curved to hold the bushings in, so without that curve touching the bushing, the less restricted the turn of the truck will be. Some skaters like a more restricted turn with the washers left on, even left on their Bones bushings which don’t need washers.

Change The Bushings

Changing the bushings is also a good way to make your trucks turn properly. What is proper is preference, but for most people this means that you wont get wheel bite like crazy while riding and they can carve without being too tight where you have to tic tac to turn.

If you get an old bushing that you want to use from someones old bucket of parts, clean it (or not) and bite it with your teeth to compare hardnesses with other random bushings. It works really well to gauge harder or softer bushings. Put them in a plastic bag if you don’t want to put dirty bushings in your mouth!

Bones hardcore bushings are ideal for getting the proper truck tightness because they offer different hardnesses. The blue softer ones are ideal for kids who do not weigh a lot. The bushings that come with their trucks can be hard and might not turn very well for them, especially on cheaper boards.

Heavier riders will want to get the black hardcore bushings, which will support their weight, yet still turn properly.

Cheap boards can greatly benefit from putting good bushings in them.

How To Know How Tight Trucks Should Be

A good way to check how tight skateboard trucks should be is to have the rider stand on the board and hold onto something. Have them lean their whole weight down on one side to turn the board. The wheels shouldn’t touch the deck. Watching the person on the board will also let you know whether they are unstable and should have the trucks a little tighter or whether they have control of the board with their ankles and can handle riding looser trucks.

After starting somewhere, the skater might want to change their board immediately or give it a little tighten after riding it for a while. The bushings will naturally compress and loosen as they are broken in.

How To Fix A Skateboard That Turns By Itself

If your board stays to one side, the bushings might need to be broken in more or they might just be cheap bushings that need replacing. One way to know for sure is to rotate the bushings and try riding it again to feel for a difference. Loosen the kingpin nut and rotate the bushinga quarter turn on the kingpin. The truck works by bending them side to side, not front to back. So switching how they sit can break in other parts that haven’t been squished that way yet.

Skateboard bearings make a big difference in how fast and smooth your board rides. Some bearings are inferior, to begin with, constructed with cheaply made parts and sloppy machining.

Bones Swiss for example is machined with high-quality Swiss precision that has become the industry-leading standard for quality of their ball bearings. Their balls are smoother and rounder than cheaply machined balls, which aren’t as fast in addition to breaking faster.

Some bearings just need a cleaning to spin faster. The gaps in between the parts, or tolerances, are so small that a little dirt will hurt their performance.

Whether you want to upgrade to better bearings, replace a broken bearing or clean your bearings to make them like new again, you will need to take the wheel off and remove the bearings. It’s very simple if you know what you’re doing.

Step 1: Removing The Wheel Nut

You will need a wrench or a skate tool to remove the nut holding the wheel onto the truck axle. Remove it by turning counterclockwise, or lefty loosely. Make sure not to lose the spacers on the axle when you remove the wheel.

Now you’re ready to remove the bearing from the wheel.

Step 2: Removing The Bearing From The Wheel

Skate Shop Bearing Press – Pull It Out

The best way to remove skateboard bearings from the wheel is to use a skate shop bearing press. This tool hooks the bearing just enough and pulls it straight out of the wheel. This avoids damaging the bearing.

Prying at an angle can cause bearings to break, although if your bearing breaks when you remove it, it definitely needed to be replaced anyway. So its actually a good thing that it broke so you don’t put a faulty bearing back in and have it break while you’re riding. Breaking bearings can make you at the most random times, which can make for bad falls.

Skate Tool – But Who Does That!?

Some skate tools have parts for removing the bearing, but these often times don’t work very well. The part that you insert isn’t long enough to get good leverage on the bearing to pry it out. These tools are okay, but it’s way easier to remove the bearing with the truck axle.

Truck Axle – Pry It Off!

Using the truck axle is the way most skaters remove the bearings from the wheel. It is only tricky because you can’t insert the wheel too much or it won’t work very well.

All you do is put the wheel back on the axle, but only put it in about a half inch or less than half the width of the wheel. There are two bearings and possibly a bearing spacer in there. You want the truck axle to only go in as far as the one bearing is sitting in there.

Grab the wheel with your palm and pry it to one direction. The bearing should pop out at an angle. If it doesn’t come out all the way, pry the wheel the other direction or back and forth until you get it out.

Handheld Tool – Work

You can do the same pry-out technique as using the axle, but with a handheld tool. This avoids damaging the threads on the truck axle, but it’s harder to do. Skaters have long been removing the bearings with the truck axle without damaging the threads, so don’t worry too much about that. If you do decide to use a hand tool, use something that is long for leverage and has a good handle to grip it with. Sometimes bearings take a lot of force to remove, so having a good tool helps. It sucks removing bearings with a short hex key, but it can be done.

Removing Broken Bearings [Secret Trick]

When a bearing breaks, all of the inside parts fall out leaving the outer ring stuck in the wheel. It can be difficult to remove. This trick wonks wonders. Herbert Holmes taught me this:

Put the wheel on the ground and leverage the screwdriver under the bearing ring and touching the outer part of the wheel.

Step on the screwdriver to keep it in place.

Step on the screwdriver and pop it out!

(Some skaters use their truck to remove the bearing ring, especially if they’re out skating and don’t have a screwdriver handy. The screwdriver trick makes it so easy if you have one around.)

Flip & Repeat

Once you remove the first bearing you repeat the process for the other side.

The second one will be easier because you can see inside the wheel, giving you a better idea of how far the axle or tool needs to go in to pry the bearing out. Make sure the axle clears the whole bearing and then a little extra. If you go too far, the axle will hit the inside of the wheel.

]]>https://stixrideshop.com/how-to-remove-skateboard-bearings-secret-trick/feed/07751How To Stop On A Skateboardhttps://stixrideshop.com/how-to-stop-on-a-skateboard/ https://stixrideshop.com/how-to-stop-on-a-skateboard/#view_commentsSat, 06 Oct 2018 22:44:24 +0000https://stixrideshop.com/?p=7732How To Stop On A Skateboard Learning how to stop on a skateboard can be one of the most important things to master. It can be the difference between riding away safely and getting seriously injured if you are going…

Learning how to stop on a skateboard can be one of the most important things to master. It can be the difference between riding away safely and getting seriously injured if you are going fast.

There are many different ways to stop on a skateboard. Here are the most common strategies that you should learn.

Jumping Off & Running Out

If you are going slow, it’s easy to jump off the board and run out. You can step off with one foot or jump off with both feet at the same time.

Tons of skaters have eaten crap trying to jump off the board even while the board isn’t even moving. The key to not falling is to stay with your weight centered over the board as you jump. If you lean too far off before jumping, the board will shoot out and you will fall.

When going faster, it’s impossible to run out, so you will most definitely fall hard. Sometimes you can slide instead of slam, but if you slide into a solid object or a moving vehicle, you will get seriously injured.

Avoid getting going too fast to run out. If you know you’re going too fast, there are other things you can look for to stop yourself.

Air Braking & Riding It Out

If you get going too fast to run out and you have a clear road ahead of you, especially if the road curves up after going downhill, ride it out.

Watch out for cars and be careful if you have to run a stop sign. Stay calm and keep your weight on the front foot because speed wobbles start from the back trucks. You don’t want to lean too far forward though because you don’t want to get off balance and fall forward onto your face.

While riding it out, don’t be aerodynamic. Stand with your body facing more forward and put your arms out. You can use your shirt or a jacket as a parachute. Catch as much of the wind as you can and it will slow you down a little. It’s not like you will gain speed forever, you will reach a top speed eventually. Air braking reduces your top speed.

Carving To Shed Off Speed

Another thing you can do if you know you’re going too fast is to carve side to side. Start carving before going too fast or you won’t be able to. Make sure that you don’t carve so hard that you will power slide. How hard u can carve while still gripping depends mostly on your wheels. If the board starts sliding, the fall will be much worse.

Going Off-Roading

If you see some grass or soft dirt to the side of where you are riding, ride into it. It will slow you down. Just be careful to lean back because you might get thrown forward if your wheels dig into the grass or dirt. At least if you fall on grass it’s a softer landing than concrete.

Foot Braking

The best way to stop is to learn to foot brake. There are different ways to do it, some that work all the time and some that only work when you are going slower.

The way that works all the time is when you stay strong over the foot that’s on the board and drag the other foot on the ground. You want to drag your heel at first because it won’t mess up where your shoes need to grip for skateboarding near the front and the balls of your feet. You also don’t want to stub your toe on anything like cracks in the street.

Some people like to sit down and use both feet. If you do, stay with your butt on the front of the board. It will be more stable than sitting on the back truck. Grab the sides of the board behind you and lean back. This technique is only good if you can sit on your board, which is risky.

The best way to sit down on the board is by grabbing the board somehow and do a one-legged squat down to take a seat. Then put the other leg out. You can start foot braking after you sit down.

Some downhillers like to grab the nose while they foot brake, which can be a good way to transition to sitting on the board.

Even just jumping onto your butt, leaning back, and putting your feet down to brake is better than riding out of control and getting hit by a car. You might get road rash if you can’t stay with your board, but you will still slow down and not slam.

Bail if you have to and look for grass to bail into.

Dragging Your Tail

Dragging your tail is the most poser way to stop. Kids are shown in pictures to be doing this and it is the most stereotypical way to stop on a skateboard. No one really does it though. It doesn’t slow you down that much and is extremely unstable.

Skaters don’t want to ruin their pop, so they avoid dragging the tail. Good skaters will hang their heel off the back of their board and do the tail drag by dragging their heel. This method doesn’t work well when going fast like down a hill though. Stopping this way is the most ideal in the skatepark aside from stepping off.

Power Sliding/ Shutting Down

Power sliding if done well is the best way to stop on a skateboard going downhill. Downhill skateboard racers wear gloves with hard plastic on their palms so they can put their hand down while drifting. This allows for a lot more control. The gloves are also a good piece of safety equipment because you can baseball slide on your hands and toes forward without getting hurt that bad. It’s when you tumble or hit a solid object that you get seriously injured. The initial slam before you slide can also hurt.

When drifting, you want to stay uphill compared to your board. Going over your board, also known as high-siding, in downhill is the worst way to fall. If you have the gloves, you can catch yourself. If not, then you’re going to get road rash and might get hurt worse.

So while power sliding there is a sweet spot where you can balance. If your wheels are harder, you will slip out easier. This is called icing out and isn’t the worst way to fall. Slide on your butt or hip and try not to tumble or slide into anything.

A lot of street skaters who know they are going too fast will power slide and lay back. They know that sliding and getting some road rash is better than slamming or hitting your head without a helmet at high speeds.

Do These Things

Be careful to not get going too fast when riding down hills and know what the hill is like before going down it if you can. Time the green lights and make it through. Yell at cars and wave your arms if you are coming up to a stop sign that you can’t stop for.

Drifting is a whole style of skateboarding in itself. Usually, downhillers will do what is known as a pre-drift to shed off speed to then be able to grip the turn without losing traction.

This is advanced, so skate within your abilities and learn to power slide before throwing one downhills going fast. Knowing how your wheels slide is very important when getting your sliding balance.

]]>https://stixrideshop.com/how-to-stop-on-a-skateboard/feed/17732Best Knee Pads For Skateboards: Learn How To Get The Best Oneshttps://stixrideshop.com/best-knee-pads-for-skateboards/ https://stixrideshop.com/best-knee-pads-for-skateboards/#view_commentsSat, 06 Oct 2018 22:35:53 +0000https://stixrideshop.com/?p=7786Best Knee Pads For Skateboards: What To Look For Knee pads are a great idea for those just learning how to skate who might fall and skateboarders who skate vert. Knee pads are mandatory when skating vert because it helps…

Knee pads are a great idea for those just learning how to skate who might fall and skateboarders who skate vert. Knee pads are mandatory when skating vert because it helps the rider control how they fall and avoid injury. Street skaters rarely wear knee pads because they do slightly restrict your movement and visibility of your board. Big pads also look goofy. When buying knee pads, you want them to be the correct size, while still being protective. Sometimes this is a trade-off. There are different styles of pads used for different types of skateboarding. Some pads are designed to allow the rider to bail, or fall with control, while some are just made to help avoid injuries from random falls.

Size & Fit

Getting the correct size knee pads is the most important thing when determining the best knee pads for skateboards. They shouldn’t be too big that they are falling off. Sometimes little kids are stuck with huge pads and this can actually be better for falling, but if they are falling off of the kid’s knees, they might not do their job when they are needed.

Knee pads should have a sizing chart included on the packaging or on the company website. Buying knee pads slightly larger is better for kids to grow into if their size is on the cusp. Wearing knee pads that are too small can reduce flexibility and restrict blood flow to the legs.

Types Of Knee Pads

Toy Store Pads

Pads you get from stores like Target or Walmart are not as good as pads designed with skateboarding specifically in mind. They are not as protective and are not used the same way.

They usually have a smaller piece of foam that doesn’t go all the way around the leg, with an even smaller hard piece of plastic stitched to the outside. The straps can be very thin elastic pieces that velcro to the piece of foam.

The problem with these is that the hard cap isn’t big enough and can deflect the impact onto the side of the pad or the knee off of the hard plastic. The straps do not hold the pad on well, and they get stretched out so that the pad doesn’t stay on after a while.

These pads are easy to spot due to their inferior protection and cheap construction. They look super poser and shouldn’t be worn by any skater wanting to be taken seriously.

The difference is night and day between toy store pads and pads designed by skateboarders for skateboarders.

Vert Skateboarding Knee Pads

Knee pads designed for skateboarding have a large flat hard cap on the outside of the foam part that wraps around the leg. The larger plastic cap is more protective and allows the rider to knee slide, controlling the bail or fall.

Knee sliding is where you slide on your knees to fall. Pads that do not have hard plastic on the outside are not able to knee slide because they get stuck on the ground. Without the plastic shell, pads are only good for protecting against impact, they don’t slide. They are also not as protective. Usually, skaters are moving, so sliding on the pads is useful, especially when riding too fast to catch yourself and run out of a fall.

Skateboarding knee pads usually have a cloth layer under the elastic straps that help to keep it on as well as makes it more comfortable to wear. These have to be slipped on. If you can put them on easily with your shoe on, they are probably too big. This style where it wraps around the whole leg also provides more protection for the sides of the knee. The way the leg works, it can’t bend backward, so protecting the inside of the leg from impact with the ground isn’t necessary. The sides of the legs sometimes get hurt though if its a tumbling fall or against a wall.

The bigger flat hard cap is what makes the pads able to be used for knee sliding instead of just being used to save you from getting hurt.

Street Skateboarding Knee Pads

For street, skaters do not wear knee pads that are big and can be seen. Some skaters wear G-forms or gasket pads that can be worn underneath their clothing.

Best Knee Pads for Skateboards: Vert

The best knee pad brands are 187, Pro Tec, Smith and S1.

187 Skateboard Pads

187 knee pads are extremely popular with vert skaters. They are heavily padded and have a good hard shell to knee slide with. The hard shell is angled in a way that makes it easier to knee slide. They are fully customizable on their website.

Pro Tec

Pro Tec Pads aren’t as dedicated to vert skateboarding with the extra angled hard caps and bulkiness like 187. They are a good pad for beginners and for skateparks.

S1

S1 is a brand that has more recently started making skateboard pads. Their pads are made well and work great.

Smith Safety Gear

Smith makes Scabs, which are good for wearing outside of pants for vert. They wrap around the leg providing good protection, while being generally smaller and allowing the rider to move better.

G Form

These types of pads are great and can be worn underneath pants so they don’t show, or under pads with hard plastic caps to add extra protection for the impact of landing on your knees. G form also makes compression shorts with hip and tailbone pads, which help a lot for skateboarding.

Best Knee Pads For Skateboards: In General

The Ones That Save Your Ass

The best way to fall is to run out and stay on your feet. Sometimes you are traveling too fast to run out, so the best way to fall is to slide on your butt feet forward. So being able to knee slide saves your ass. For skateboarding like vert or downhill, the best pads have to allow you to knee slide.

The Ones That Fit Well

Pads that protect the rider are the best pads for most people, especially beginners who don’t know how to control their fall. There are a lot of middle ground pad sets that will protect all the way around the leg and wont fall off because the straps don’t work well enough or get stretched out.

The Ones That Are Made Well

The best knee pads for skaters are high quality and are constructed with heavy duty materials. They will last longer and wont get destroyed. They will offer more protection and won’t make the skater look like a nerd poser to the rest of the skaters at the park.

]]>https://stixrideshop.com/best-knee-pads-for-skateboards/feed/177869 Of The Best Skateboard Brands [2019 Approved]https://stixrideshop.com/9-of-the-best-skateboard-brands-2019-approved/ https://stixrideshop.com/9-of-the-best-skateboard-brands-2019-approved/#view_commentsSat, 06 Oct 2018 22:30:58 +0000https://stixrideshop.com/?p=77889 Of The Best Skateboard Brands [2019 Approved] Vans Vans is revered as the original skateboard shoe since 1966. Their waffle grip will continue to be skated forever, especially with recent innovations. Vans does a lot for skateboarding outside of…

Vans

Vans is revered as the original skateboard shoe since 1966. Their waffle grip will continue to be skated forever, especially with recent innovations. Vans does a lot for skateboarding outside of just having one of the best, if not the best, skate shoes on the market.

They have advanced their skate line in recent years with upgrades like tougher canvas or suede, better insoles, and different patterns of materials designed specifically for skateboarding.

Vans Authentics and Classic Slip-Ons were traditionally made of canvas and were known to get destroyed after only a few days of skating. Some skaters made due by super gluing the sides of their shoes before the rips got too bad. Other skaters got creative with their custom duct tape job on the side of their shoe to help prevent their foot from getting torn up when they ollie. Using thick suede or other durable materials instead of canvas was the best upgrade for the classic Vans shoe line. Not only does suede protect better, but it grips the board better for ollies and tricks.

Vans came through for skateboarders by solving the problem of skaters getting heel bruises due to the Vans insoles being too thin and not padded enough. They invented the Ultra Kush insole which is comfortable and is amazing to skate. The Ultra Kush insole is available on any shoe in the Vans Pro Series which includes classic shoes like Slip Ons and High Tops, as well as pro rider shoes like the Rowley or Walker.

The waffle sole was recently changed, with a lot of research and development going into the innovations. It is now made to have different patterns in different areas of the shoe. The waffle pattern is also made smaller on some shoes for more technical grip. Some shoes have reverse waffle grip which skates great but is featured more on their All-Weather MTE line.

Vans does a lot for skateboarding.

Vans has built some of the best indoor skateparks known to skateboarding. In Southern California, the Block at Orange was home to the Pro Tec Pool Party until it closed last year. It has since closed down in favor of its successor, the Vans “Off The Wall” Skatepark in Huntington Beach.

Baker/Deathwish

Baker has been heavy f*#king with street skateboarding since Baker Bootleg, Baker 2G, Baker 3, Baker Has a Deathwish, and their most recent video parts like Dee’s part on the Ride Channel. Baker and Deathwish has a rad team of big names like Andrew Reynolds, Kevin Spanky Long, Erik Ellington, and Dustin Dollin. They also recently put Riley Hawk on the team.

Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz is another iconic company that is doing it for skateboarding. They have sought after apparel in addition to boards of all shapes and sizes. Their board graphics are top notch. Santa Cruz also appeals to people who don’t skate, which is cool to get outsiders supporting skateboarding.

Thrasher

Thrasher skateboard magazine is rad. They have been holding it down with other media like Skateline NBD and King of the Road. Their apparel line is up there with the best selling brands in any skate shop thanks to their iconic designs and posers who don’t even skate.

As was said earlier, it’s okay to sell skate stuff to non-skaters because then the company has more money to support skateboarding. Also, some of the fashionistas probably bought boards just because. Regardless, they are up there with the best brands in skateboarding.

Their YouTube channel features pro videos in a section they call “Classics” and is a good resource to find good skateboard videos.

Independent

Independent trucks are the most popular skateboard truck and always has been. They have innovated trucks as we know them by lightening their weight with hollow axles and kingpins. Some Independent Trucks also have titanium axles which are the lightest and strongest axles on the market. They have tons of pro riders and painted graphics trucks. Vans recently collaborated with Indy to make shoes. Independent is one of the best skateboard brands.

Spitfire

Spitfire has made wheels since the late 80s and continues to be one of the most popular brands today. The logo is iconic to skaters and non-skaters alike. Their wheels got an upgrade in recent years with their Formula Four wheels, made to compete with Bones SPF. Spitfire also came out with a bunch of different wheel shapes and pro graphics. Vans just made a collaboration with Spitfire. Also, Lance Mountain rides for Spitfire now.

Welcome Skateboards

Welcome Skateboards is an up and coming brand established in 2010. They have built a following thanks to their eye-catching shapes and graphics. These boards are colorful and have interesting abstract graphics. They deserve their status among the best brands out there. Only time will tell if they can keep it up to someday become an iconic skateboard brand.

Powell Peralta

Powell Peralta is the most iconic old school skateboard hard goods brand. Hard goods are skateboard parts, not apparel. Boards ridden back in the day are now made into re-issues, popular with people like your Dad and Uncle who used to skate. They have also recently innovated deck strength technology with their Flight Decks that can get ran over by a car and not break. Powell also makes Bones bearings, which are the most popular bearings in skateboarding. Bones Swiss precision is the standard measurement that all other bearings are measured against to determine their quality.

Nike

Nike had some trouble starting up its SB line. Some skaters weren’t down with a large sports company coming in and trying to make money off of skaters. This perception was curbed by big names getting on the team like P Rod, Nyjah Huston, and Luan Oliveira. The Nike Janoski is one of the most popular skateboard shoes on the market today despite it being fairly expensive compared to other skate shoes. This says something.

Step 1: Work With What You’ve Got

Soft Wheels VS Hard Wheels:

If you’re riding on the tan concrete sidewalk or in the skatepark hard wheels are better.

If you’re riding in the street on the black asphalt (unless it’s really smooth with no cracks) soft wheels are better.

Deck Size:

Bigger decks are easier to learn on because they have a bigger platform to stand on for more balance. Your deck shouldn’t be too big that you can’t do manuals or kick turns unless you have a longboard or want to limit your skateboarding potential immediately.

Is It Easier To Ride A Skateboard Or A Longboard?

Its easier to learn to skateboard on a double kick board in the skatepark, on sidewalks with cracks where you have to go up handicapped ramps sidewalk to sidewalk, and sometimes on smoother black asphalt streets.

It’s easier to learn to skateboard with a longboard on the black asphalt street and on nicer sidewalks.

The deck size of a longboard makes it easier to learn to skateboard because of its bigger platform to stand on. In most cases, the longer it is the harder it will be to turn unless it has longboard trucks designed to turn quickly like Gullwing Sidewinders. Usually, longboard trucks don’t turn as much which allows them to handle high speeds.

Cruiser boards are good boards to learn to skateboard on the streets and on sidewalks, but the soft wheels limit them in the skatepark. Cruiser boards are also susceptible to getting wheel bite if they don’t have riser pads, which can make you eat crap. They are great for learning how to ride.

Step 2: Figuring Out Your Riding Style

Riding Stance:

When you push the board, one foot will be off on the ground and the other will be on the board facing in the direction you are riding. It can be slightly curved to make it easier to turn it once you step your other foot on the board.

When you step on after pushing, your back foot should land near the back bolts. You will then adjust your feet by sliding them where they need to be. If you push mongo, your front foot will push off the ground and land on the front bolts.

While just riding, your feet should be at slight angles. If you are doing tricks while you are riding, you can ride in ollie position. Most of the time though it’s more comfortable to ride with your body facing more forward.

Which Foot Goes In Front On A Skateboard:

Whichever foot feels more comfortable is the foot that goes in front. Left foot forward is called regular. Right foot forward is called goofy.

One good way to find out which way someone rides is to do this: Have them stand with their feet together. Push them so they take a step forward with one of their feet to catch themselves from falling forward. The foot they step out with is their front foot.

Sometimes skaters want to ride the other way than they stepped out. Let them ride how they want to.

Step 3. Pushing

Pushing Off To Start:

The best way to start riding is by pushing off. This is because you have one foot on the ground keeping your balance and one in position on the board ready to go.

Jumping on the board and landing with both feet to start is harder and can make beginners fall when they first learn to skateboard.

Make sure to step onto the board correctly and adjust your feet so your toes don’t hang off the front side and your body is turned to a comfortable riding angle. Brace yourself because the board is going to roll with you on it. Go with it. Learn to skateboard.

Pushing While Riding:

To push, you have to step from the board onto the ground with one foot. Then you do the same as pushing off. Your weight shouldn’t transfer completely from one foot to the other. You should have some weight on the board the whole time when pushing while riding. Keep control of the board with about 25% of your weight on that foot to get the maximum force out of your push off of the other foot. The push is a kick not a step on the ground.

Step 4: Riding & Turning

How To Ride A Skateboard:

To ride, you have to be balanced and have your body braced to hold yourself on the board. Hopefully not braced for impact! You are either controlling the board or letting it control you. Put your arms out and try to balance, don’t just stand there. Move your feet around while you’re riding and learn to get your feet into riding position immediately after stepping on.

How To You Turn When Riding A Skateboard:

To turn a skateboard you lean to one side or the other. The trucks have bushings that squish so the trucks can turn. If you don’t lift up your wheels and use entirely the trucks to turn, it’s called a carve. You have to go a little faster to carve, you can’t carve without moving.

If you want to turn sharply and you have a board with a tail you can do another kind of turn called a tic tac. You put pressure on the tail of the board, balance, and turn the board by lifting the front wheels off the ground. You will turn your shoulders and the wheels will land over a few inches from where they started.

A lot of new riders when they first learn to skateboard can tic tac better than they can carve. This is because they usually start with tighter boards to make their boards have more stability for balance. They are also usually going slower than is required to carve because they can’t ride very well yet.

Step 5. Doing Tricks

At first, doing tricks will be hard and it takes years to master tricks, so keep practicing. Have fun. There are some tricks you can do with little to no experience as you learn to ride:

Step 6. Stopping

Stopping shouldn’t be a problem for anyone unless they get going too fast to jump off and run out.

Stepping Or Jumping Off:

Make sure to jump off before you get going too fast.

Step off if you’re going slower. Step off like you would do while pushing.

If you feel more comfortable jumping off, then do it. Don’t get off balance on the board as you jump. Boards slip out and people learning to skateboard fall on their butts all the time trying to jump off.

Foot Braking:

You can learn to foot brake by staying balanced over the foot that’s on the board and then dragging the sole of the kicking foot on the ground. Some skaters grab the board with their hands and sit down on it so that they can stop with both feet. There are also other ways to stop on your skateboard.

]]>https://stixrideshop.com/learn-to-skateboard-quick-easy-instructional-guide/feed/07671How To Start Skateboarding With No Experiencehttps://stixrideshop.com/start-skateboarding-with-no-experience/ https://stixrideshop.com/start-skateboarding-with-no-experience/#comments_replyWed, 26 Sep 2018 01:24:01 +0000https://stixrideshop.com/?p=7624How To Start Skateboarding With No Experience At first, learning how to start skateboarding can be difficult. You might only be able to stand on the board without moving much, but it’s okay. With the right direction and some practice,…

At first, learning how to start skateboarding can be difficult. You might only be able to stand on the board without moving much, but it’s okay. With the right direction and some practice, you will learn how to start riding around and you can even do tricks on the first day!

Learning The Riding Basics

Learning the riding basics makes learning tricks much easier. Riding improves your balance and coordination. These skills need to develop in beginners and they can improve in those who already know how to skate and are working on getting better.

How To Start Skateboarding: Balance Techniques

Standing on the board- Standing on the board is the most basic balance technique to practice. Ideally, you will learn balance through stepping on the board and actually riding, but standing on the board with something to hold onto can help beginners find their balance at first.

Leaning side to side/ front to back- leaning side to side balance builds the ankle strength as well as balance to be able to carve to turn and learn tricks. Stand on the board next to something that you can hold on to practice leaning side to side. Make sure your trucks aren’t too loose or you will get wheel bite. Your wheels shouldn’t touch the deck at all and wheel bite. Have your trucks loose enough to turn, but aren’t unstable causing wheel bite because they are too loose. Find what works for you. A lot of skaters start with tighter trucks because it’s more stable to balance on, but then they have a hard time leaning to turn! These skaters will need to learn to kick turn after they get their balance for carving.

Carving- Turning by leaning the board side to side while all 4 wheels are on the ground is called carving. Carving is used more on skate park ramps to flow smoothly from obstacle to obstacle. It is used in street skating to make riding away from tricks more stylish. Your feet should be over the bolts when you first learn to carve for the best balance.

Squatting- Being able to crouch down and stand back up while balancing on the board is extremely important. You use this basic movement for loading up to do an ollie. It’s also used in the opposite way to absorb the impact when you land tricks, especially when jumping down stairs.

Having fun on other board sports like snow boards, surf boards, balance boards, and even hover boards will help to build balance for skateboarding.

How To Start Skateboarding: Foot Work Techniques

In addition to balance, the ability to move the board around with your feet is also a foundational skill for when you start skateboarding. (Moving the board with your feet uses other muscles like the ones in your stomach.)

Foot position- Knowing where to have your feet on the board for riding and various tricks. Find what’s comfortable for you!

Manual- Being able to do a manual (lift one truck off the ground and balance on two wheels) is the foundation for almost all tricks. It is also a good way to turn sharply with the Tic Tac.

Tic Tac- Picking up one end of the board to turn allows you to turn much sharper than learning to carve. It also allows you to do 180 kick turns going up and back down ramps. Its important when navigating through pedestrians sharing the sidewalk. It’s the best way to turn

Working on these basic skills makes more advanced maneuvers so much easier.

How Much To Skate

Skateboard every day if you can.

Mental Barriers

Skateboarding isn’t just a physical activity, it’s mental.

What this means is that knowing in your head what you’re doing and exactly how to move your body is useful to learn tricks faster. Part of confidence comes from knowing what you’re doing. Skateboarding requires confidence to land tricks.

Learning to skate without understanding the trick or how to move your body can make a trick take 100 attempts to land instead of 10.

If you are trying a trick and are doing the same thing over and over, but not landing it, go try another trick before going back to the one you were working on. Ride around and clear your mind. Or maybe do your trick in a line with a few other tricks before it. The momentum of landing tricks in a row really helps. Keep it fun when you can even when you’re struggling to land a trick. Getting a trick down is worth the struggle though, so keep trying!

Muscle Memory

After skateboarding maneuvers are done enough times, the body actually remembers the motions for you-this is called muscle memory. After doing a motion like the pop, jump, slide, and land of the ollie so many times, your body will remember exactly what to do. It will automatically know when you need to start sliding your foot forward and how to land on the bolts. It takes time to develop muscle memory.

It’s all about trial and error, so pay attention to where you can improve to master your movements.

Learning Tricks

In the beginning, it’s best to learn to cruise and build up your balance, but there are tricks you can learn without even being able to ride.

]]>https://stixrideshop.com/start-skateboarding-with-no-experience/feed/07624Dirty Grip Tape? Learn How To Clean Skateboard Griptapehttps://stixrideshop.com/dirty-grip-tape-learn-how-to-clean-skateboard-griptape/ https://stixrideshop.com/dirty-grip-tape-learn-how-to-clean-skateboard-griptape/#view_commentsWed, 26 Sep 2018 01:20:02 +0000https://stixrideshop.com/?p=7584 How To Clean Skateboard Griptape Dirty grip tape can ruin the appearance of a skateboard. It can be the difference between keeping your board in your room and having to keep it outside or in the garage because it’s all…

Dirty grip tape can ruin the appearance of a skateboard. It can be the difference between keeping your board in your room and having to keep it outside or in the garage because it’s all dirty.

Skateboard grip tape helps keep you connected to the board. Dirty grip tape can affect your tricks and should be cleaned or replaced when needed. Usually a sheet of grip tape will outlast the wooden deck it’s attached to. However, if the board isn’t ridden regularly or gets extremely dirty from riding through mud or something sticky gets on the top of the board like soda, then it’s a good idea to clean it.

How Do I Get Dirt Off My Skateboard Griptape?

How you clean dirt off of skateboard grip tape depends on how dirty the board is and what is on it. If it’s just dust, you can use a grip tape eraser. If it’s thick mud or soda, then you will have to clean it by dabbing at it with a damp towel until you get it all off.

How To Clean Skateboard Griptape The Easy Way

The easy way to clean skateboard grip tape is with a grip tape eraser. Basically, a griptape eraser is just a hunk of rubber-like material. Black Magic makes one and there are a few other skate brands out there that make similar products. You can also buy a belt sander cleaner from Harbor Freight, which works the same as the skateboard griptape eraser. Get some free terry cloths with your purchase for cleaning your grip tape or to clean your bearings.

These products work great if you are just removing dust to keep your board fresh and not removing thick layers of mud.

Rub it on your dirty griptape and it removes the dirt.

Wipe off the rubber particles that the eraser leaves behind. Your board will look clean and the grip will be a darker black than before

Using the corners or smaller side of the eraser will get deeper into the grit of the grip tape than laying the whole eraser flat which removes more dirt, but in a smaller condensed area. Pushing slightly harder also squishes the eraser deeper into the griptape, making it clean it better. If you lay the whole eraser flat, it will be harder to rub across the grip because more surface area is touching and it won’t clean as deeply.

Flip the eraser around different ways as you’re rubbing to see what works best for you.

Cleaning Dirtier Boards

If you want a deeper clean or have to remove thick layers of dirt, you will have to apply a cleaning product to the grip, scrub it, then wipe or dab the dirt away.

Caring For Your Board As You Clean

Depending on if your board is already water logged or not, you will use a different amount of care when putting things on your board like soapy water. If you board is old and water logged already, you don’t have to worry about it. With new board that are not water logged, watch out that the edges of the wooden deck don’t get wet. If the sides get a little wet, it’s not a big deal. It can weaken the deck if it gets wet. You have to be especially careful to keep the nose and tail areas dry because they will affect the board’s pop. Soggy pop is no good!

Grip tape is thick enough where it doesn’t let water through unless it’s MOB grip, which has holes in it to prevent air bubbles. So using soapy water works and the water won’t get through to the wooden deck.

If you are worried about water getting on the board, be careful around the edges and don’t soak the grip too much.

The Cleaning Process

How To Clean Your Skateboard Griptape: Getting Started

You can cover the edges with tape to avoid water logging the wooden deck. Use tape that doesn’t allow water through. Duct tape, electrical tape, scotch tape, or packing tape will all work great. Just avoid tape that absorbs water. Also, be careful that the tape won’t leave residue when you peel it off. If it does, you will have to take sandpaper to it. Don’t use Goo Gone or water because it will soak into the wood.

1. Apply Cleaning Product

Apply cleaning products directly to the board’s griptape with a sponge, towel, or with a spray bottle. Avoid pouring water on the grip because it will most likely get on the edges of the board.

Products

There are many things you can use to clean your grip.

Soapy water is the most basic, but contains water which is problematic because it can water log a wooden deck.

Glass cleaners and green cleaners work, and spraying from the bottle is a good way to apply the cleaner to the grip.

Orange cleaners for dusty furniture work well and also come in spray bottles for easy application.

Don’t use WD-40 or anything that will leave slippery residue behind on your griptape.

Using a sponge to apply your cleaning product at first is the best way to get the cleaner on the grip tape besides spraying from a spray bottle. Just be careful not to rub the sponge. Pat and dab it or it will wear away from rubbing on the griptape. Rubbing a sponge on the grip will do a good job of cleaning the griptape, but will ruin the sponge. The sponge is good for getting the thick layers of mud off before scrubbing the griptape with something else like a wire brush. This way the sponge won’t get too messed up.

2. Scrub To Get Clean

After applying your cleaning product, use something to scrub the dirt off like an old toothbrush or soft bristled wire bush. These are the best things to use because they won’t disintegrate as a sponge or paper towels will. A cloth towel works great and doesn’t disintegrate as much. Even if you get tiny particles on your grip you will be able to easily wipe them off later after the board dries.

While scrubbing, don’t let your wire brush or anything harder wear away the griptape, because it will make it less grippy.

3. Dab to Remove Dirt

After scrubbing the board thoroughly, use paper towels or a towel to dab the dirt and cleaning product off. Don’t rub the grip because it can disintegrate your towel. Absorb the cleaning product liquid that has captured the removed dirt.

4. Repeat

You might have to repeat steps 1-3 over and over to get the layers of dirt off.

The towel you’re using will get dirty after repeating the steps, so make sure to use multiple towels. Paper towels are better for the final cleaning cycles because you can use a new paper towel for each cleaning cycle. You don’t want to track old dirt back onto the clean grip. Paper towels might leave particles so be careful and only dab them, not wipe if you choose to use paper towels- use an old shirt or a towel though don’t do that to yourself.

Replacing Old Griptape

Sometimes griptape is so old and dirty that it’s not worth all of the cleaning. A new blank sheet of grip is only about 5 or 6 bucks and skate shops will put it on your board for you. Sometimes they will make you take your grip off of the board yourself. Consider calling the shop first and see what they can do for you- some shops will remove the grip for you.

If you have to remove your own grip tape before taking your board to the shop, use a hair dryer or heat gun to melt the glue. This will make peeling it off much easier. Use a razor blade or a knife to get the edges up on the nose or tail to get a good handle on the griptape to peel it off. Taking griptape off isn’t fun, especially when it keeps ripping. Sometimes it comes off in one piece, sometimes it doesn’t.

Another cool thing about replacing grip tape is that there are tons of graphic grip tape sheets available. You can get brands like Thrasher or simple designs like camouflage or black and white checkerboard.

Replacing grip tape when your shoes get older or getting new shoes when your board is getting older is a good way to keep your skating top notch.

]]>https://stixrideshop.com/dirty-grip-tape-learn-how-to-clean-skateboard-griptape/feed/17584All About Longboard Trucks And Wheelshttps://stixrideshop.com/all-about-longboard-trucks-and-wheels/ https://stixrideshop.com/all-about-longboard-trucks-and-wheels/#comments_replyThu, 20 Sep 2018 21:05:16 +0000https://stixrideshop.com/?p=7710All About Longboard Trucks And Wheels Longboards are the latest craze in skateboarding. Longboards have been around for a long time, but recently the parts, especially longboard trucks and wheels, have gotten an upgrade. Trucks are made with precision CNC…

Longboards are the latest craze in skateboarding. Longboards have been around for a long time, but recently the parts, especially longboard trucks and wheels, have gotten an upgrade. Trucks are made with precision CNC manufacturing to make them stronger and turn better. Wheel formulas are being advanced and they are made to drift at high speeds while still being able to grip for carving.

Skateboard VS Longboard

Longboards aren’t called longboards for nothing, the decks are longer!

Aside from this, the major differences compared to traditional skateboards are are the wheels and the trucks.

Longboard Trucks

TKP VS RKP

TKP stands for traditional kingpin trucks. They are like most trucks where the kingpins face each other toward the inside of the board. The kingpin sits below the trucks so you can grind.

RKP stands for reverse kingpin trucks. Reverse kingpin trucks are designed for longboarding. The design makes them turn better. The kingpin also usually sticks up past the truck.

Trucks are designed with geometry to work a certain way. You can’t just flip your trucks around and act like they TKP is now RKP or vice versa.

Baseplate Angle

The angle of the baseplate is often overlooked in traditional skateboard trucks. Skaters will tighten their trucks to turn less when bombing hills, but not change their baseplate entirely like longboarders do. Sometimes angled riser pads are used to make the kingpin higher which makes the trucks turn more.

Longboard truck angles are very important and arguably the most important aspect of tuning a truck. The higher degree your truck baseplate is, the more it will turn. Think of how a 90 degree angle is more of a turn versus a 45 degree angle.

Often, longboarders will use a split degree setup, which uses a lower degree angle on the back truck of the board where speed wobbles start from. This allows them to go faster and enhances turning.

Bushings

Changing bushings is also a way to tune trucks to turn differently. Harder bushings make the board more stable. Street skaters use different bushings too, but not to the same extent longboarders do, especially when racing.

Longboarders mess around with their bushings a lot until they get their setup exactly how they want it.

The rule of thumb is: harder bushings go on the bottom of the truck on the side of the deck (board side bushing) and softer bushings go facing the road (road side bushing) for drifting . They will put softer bushings on the board side and harder bushings on the road side for gripping turns. It all just depends on what feels good though.

The way downhillers check which bushings are harder or softer when they are in a random pile is by biting them. A little dirt don’t hurt!

Some companies are figuring out how to make split durometer bushings where some parts are harder or softer than others. This gets complicated, but longboarders get really into learning about how their board will work according to the physics and engineering.

Truck Width

Longboard trucks are usually wider than regular skateboard trucks. This makes them more stable and matches the width of longboard decks which are usually wider as well as longer.

Longboard Wheels

Size

Usually longboard wheels are taller and wider than traditional skateboard wheels. A larger wheel helps the board roll at higher speeds. Smaller wheels will gain speed faster, but won’t be able to reach as high of top speeds.

The wider wheel makes the board grip better because there is more wheel actually touching the ground.

Durometer

The hardness, or durometer of the urethane material also affects the grip of the wheel. Softer wheels will grip better. They will form and squish to the ground more. Hard wheels can roll faster over hard surfaces. Soft wheels will squish too much on hard surfaces, slowing them down. The harder wheel will not roll over rougher surfaces and won’t grip as well.

There is a trade off with skateboard wheel durometer between grip, slip, and roll speed.

Shape

The shape of the wheel also determines its ability to grip. Square lipped wheels that have sharp edges are designed to grip. Wheels with rounded lips are better for power sliding, but the contact patch and durometer can make them grip well too.

Core

Longboard wheels often have cores. These are hard plastic pieces that hold the bearings. They have these to hold the bearings in place when the wheel is softer. Without them the bearings might come out when the wheel flexes. The core also affects how heavy the wheel is. Plastic weighs less than urethane. With a large plastic core and less urethane wheel, the wheel will be lighter.

]]>https://stixrideshop.com/all-about-longboard-trucks-and-wheels/feed/077106 Things To Avoid When Buying Your First Skateboardhttps://stixrideshop.com/6-things-to-avoid-when-buying-your-first-skateboard/ https://stixrideshop.com/6-things-to-avoid-when-buying-your-first-skateboard/#comments_replySat, 15 Sep 2018 22:12:48 +0000https://stixrideshop.com/?p=76116 Things To Avoid When Buying Your First Skateboard 1. Get The Right Type Of Board There are many different types of boards out there to choose from for your first skateboard. Some boards are better than others for certain…

2. Avoid Boards That Aren’t The Correct Size

Besides the type of board you get, also be aware of what size board you should get. Smaller riders should stick to 7.75 inch wide decks or Penny Boards while adult riders may feel more comfortable on a 8.5 inch wide deck. Make sure your truck size matches up with the right deck size. The wheels should be flush with the side of the deck- not sticking out or be too narrow. Your first skateboard should provide you with the best chance of learning so it will be the most fun.

3. Don’t Settle On A Board You Don’t Love

Your skateboard defines you as a skater, so don’t settle on a board that doesn’t suit you. The brand matters a lot and real skaters will judge you on what kind of board you have for better or for worse. The graphic is important to some skaters and can make them stoked on skating.

Some boards, especially completes, may have a couple parts that you wish were different colors. Sometimes it can be hard to find a complete that’s exactly the way you want it. Switching a part or two is totally doable. Skate shops will build you a board with different parts, but it will probably cost more than a prebuilt complete.

There are tons of boards out there, make sure to get one that you are happy with.

4. Avoid Hills

Don’t buy a board and immediately ride down hill unless you are an experienced skater. Hills can get you going too fast to stop or run out. This makes them dangerous for new skaters with their first board. Learn to push around the street and do basic tricks on flat first before trying to bomb a hill. Definitely watch out for traffic when skating in the street.

5. Avoid Riding Toy Store Boards

Cheap quality mass produced skateboards are everywhere. Overseas manufacturing makes for lower priced boards, but they are not trusted name brands. These boards will not ride the same and will break much easier. Cheap boards are also easy to spot. Especially if they have plastic wrap under the trucks or have hardware that isn’t flush with the grip tape. Don’t be that guy learning to skate on a cheap knock-off even if it’s your first skateboard.

Buying a cheap board may save you money now, but you might wind up buying a pro quality board eventually, causing you to spend extra money. The quality board you buy will make learning easier and will hold its value better.

SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL SKATE SHOP

6. Don’t Be A Poser

Just because you got your first skateboard doesn’t mean you’re a skater and can talk a big game. There are many online forums and YouTube videos that can distract you from actually skating. Use these briefly, but make sure to skate way more than you watch how to videos. Watching pro skate videos is different, but still:

Skate more than you watch skating or talk about skating!

What actually defines you as a skater are things like carrying your board with you wherever you go and skating every damn day, not just having a board. It’s not always about how good you are, but being better definitely gets you bonus points as a skater during the session.

With all this being said, the skate community welcomes you and hopes that you learn some sick tricks. Hang with us at the skatepark and hopefully you can meet some friends!